Exposing Collusion in Poker
Collusion is one of the most common forms of cheating in poker. There are many way that one can be guilty of collusion when at the poker table and not all of them are done consciously. An unintentional peek at the hand of an opponent can already be considered an act of collusion since one's subsequent actions will be influenced by that unintentional peep of the hand of others.
This abundance of ways of colluding in poker has also made collusion one of the easiest cheat to perform especially if one is intent on profiting from the popular card game without breaking a sweat. Add that to the fact that most swindlers that utilize collusion as their ruse really do profit from their cons since it is one of the most effective cheating tactic that a swindler can perform at the poker table as it is very hard to detect. Furthermore, in the event that collusion is indeed detected, proving it is even more difficult.
At its most basic definition, collusion is the agreement between two or more players in a particular poker session to exchange information and to cooperate with each for the overall benefit of all that is involved in such a conspiracy. It does not matter whether a single colluder wins all the money in the session since the colluders work as a group and divide the spoils of the swindling also as a group.
So how is collusion done at the poker table?
Sending signals with each other is the most common and the easiest way of colluding between players. Colluders may set signals such as raising eyebrows or coughing to signify important information essential to the game such as whether one has a winning hand or a losing one. Signals can also signify the tactics that are to be done such as the betting strategy that the colluders will use.
There are also blatant ways of committing the dirty tactic such as speaking a language that is not familiar to the other players at the table or distracting others while one colluder fixes the deck or snares some chips. These tactics are cheap and they are easily spotted even by the most naïve of players.
Some colluders do employ more sophisticated ways though, such as the sandwiching of another player at the table. Through the synchronization of the colluder's betting tactics, players who are sandwiched by colluders are often left only with the choice of calling every bet there is or fold.
Collusion exploits one of the chinks in the card game that is poker. The tactic is definitely not within the rules of the game as it gives tremendous advantages to those who commit it but on the other hand, proving that one is guilty of colluding is also futile as it is near impossible to produce a tangible evidence of the act. The only way therefore for players to be spared from such dirty tactic is to be familiar with it so that one can spot and get away from a game where there is an apparent collusion going on.